He’s the oldest summer basketball player in Springfield, but 37-year-old James Williams can still go.

Williams is preparing for what he hopes will be his 12th season in professional basketball. He makes his money with physical play in the paint, and he can still throw down rim-rattling dunks. Williams turns heads regularly on Wednesday nights at the Courts Ezone, where the Waynesville native plays against current college players in the Mercy Pro-Am League.

“I’ve been saying I was going to retire for the last four years, and I think if my body holds up, somebody will call me and we’ll see what’s going on,” Williams said. “I think I’ve got about another good one (year). Now two, I don’t know, but I know I’ve got a good one.”

Williams’ pro career has been that of a wandering journeyman. It includes stints in leagues in Mexico, Sweden, Estonia, the United States Basketball League, China, Kuwait, Mexico for a second time, Argentina and a third stop in Mexico.

“Sweden was probably the best country, not basketball-wise, but just the country,” Williams said.

Williams hopes to sign with an Argentinian team to play out the remainder of his career.

“I’ve been down there seven years, I know the league, I know what I’ve got to do. I’m at the end of it, so I don’t want to go back to Europe and try to get in some 25-year-old shape,” Williams said.

Williams was a force in Argentina, where he took advantage of his 6-foot-6 frame to rebound and score near the basket. Life isn’t easy in the South American league.

“It’s grueling. You’ve got 17-hour bus rides. Sometimes you’ve got four games in a week. It’s tough, I mean you’ve got a lot of banging to do on the court,” Williams said.

Williams observed that there isn’t as much physical play in the Pro-Am League as there once was. Players are more inclined to take outside shots. Still, the league offers Williams the workouts he wants.

“This is exercise for me. The game has changed a lot, but it keeps me in some kind of shape,” Williams said.

This summer, Williams is on a Warriors team that also includes Missouri State players Dequon Miller and Alize Johnson, recent Kickapoo graduates Derrick Roberson and Niekie Thomas-Fontleroy, and four high school players: Cameron Davis of Kickapoo, Deonti Johnson of Central, Conley Garrison of Bolivar and Christian Bundy of Nixa — players who are literally half his age.

Williams could be spotted directing Bundy where to be on the defensive end of the floor multiple times during a game July 6.

“I try to teach the guys what they should be doing,” Williams said. “Some of these guys have got a future in professional basketball as well, so I always try to tell them something.”

Williams still maintains residence in Waynesville, where he has also been in the business of buying and selling real estate.

“What I’m trying to do is flip houses, I guess,” Williams said. “It kind of happened. I was able to take advantage of some deals and I got a couple of properties, and then I’m trying to get rid of them.”